1. Field of the Invention
This patent relates to heating pellet stoves and other combustion devices. More particularly, this invention relates to pellet stoves with automated ash-dumping floors.
2. Related Art
Mendive, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,117) disclose a firepot with an ash-dumping floor. The floor of the firepot pivots horizontally. Pivoting the floor-piece uncovers an opening in the bottom of the firepot""s combustion chamber, and the ashes fall into the opening out of the firepot.
Current pellet stove technology requires high-grade fuels; high-ash industrial grade fuels are not available for use because stove cleanup would be required too frequently to be practical. These high-ash fuels include biodegradable wastes such as cotton stalk, wheat and straw stubble, chipped bark, brush, and many types of agricultural waste. These fuels would be cheaper for pellet stove owners, and would create markets for these biodegradable wastes, diverting them from landfills. Thus, there is a need for a system to automatically and effectively remove ash from pellet stoves and other combustion devices.
The invention is a floor opening system for pellet stoves and other combustion devices with moving, ash-dumping floors. The floor opening system comprises a cam system that automatically opens the floor, and/or closes the floor. Preferably, a cam member is movable to urge its protruding cam surface against an arm or other member that is connected to the floor, for translating the movement of the cam member into movement of the floor. The preferred cam member moves into an opening position that urges the arm to open the floor, and into a closing position that urges the arm to close the floor. The cam member may also have a neutral or xe2x80x9cparkxe2x80x9d position, wherein the floor is manually movable to the open and/or closed position, preferably by means of the arm not being urged or contacted by the cam member, and by means of the arm not being attached to or otherwise hindered by the cam member. A motor may be used to turn/move the cam member. The invention can be used to automatically clean a stove at the end of a burn cycle and to set the time for alternating burn and clean cycles as appropriate for the fuel being used.